arXiv subjects

Jianglai Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Jianglai Liu.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

The Automatic Calibration Unit in JUNO

This paper describes the design and construction of the automatic calibration unit (ACU) for the JUNO experiment. The ACU is a fully automated mechanical system. It is capable of deploying multiple radioactive sources, an ultraviolet (UV) laser source, or an auxiliary sensor such as a temperature sensor, one at a time, into the central detector of JUNO along the central axis. It is designed as a primary tool to precisely calibrate the energy scale of detector, aligning timing for the photosensors, and partially monitoring the position-dependent energy scale variations.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

A Precise Method to Determine the Energy Scale and Resolution using Gamma Calibration Sources in a Liquid Scintillator Detector

Gamma sources are routinely used to calibrate the energy scale and resolution of liquid scintillator detectors. However, non-scintillating material surrounding the source introduces energy losses, which may bias the determination of the centroid and width of the full absorption peak. In this paper, we present a general method to determine the true gamma centroid and width to a relative precision of 0.03\% and 0.50\%, respectively, using energy losses predicted by the Monte Carlo simulation. In particular, the accuracy of the assumed source geometry is readily obtained from the fit. The method performs well with experimental data in the Daya Bay detector.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

Design and Commissioning of the PandaX-4T Cryogenic Distillation System for Krypton and Radon Removal

An online cryogenic distillation system for the removal of krypton and radon from xenon was designed and constructed for PandaX-4T, a highly sensitive dark matter detection experiment. The krypton content in a commercial xenon product is expected to be reduced by 7 orders of magnitude with 99% xenon collection efficiency at a flow rate of 10 kg/h by design. The same system can reduce radon content in xenon by reversed operation, with an expected radon reduction factor of about 1.8 in PandaX-4T under a flow rate of 56.5 kg/h. The commissioning of this system was completed, with krypton and radon operations tested under respective working conditions. The krypton concentration of the product xenon was measured with an upper limit of 8.0 ppt.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

Search for Light Dark Matter-Electron Scatterings in the PandaX-II Experiment

We report constraints on light dark matter through its interactions with shell electrons in the PandaX-II liquid xenon detector with a total 46.9 tonne$\cdot$day exposure. To effectively search for these very low energy electron recoils, ionization-only signals are selected from the data. 1821 candidates are identified within ionization signal range between 50 to 75 photoelectrons, corresponding to a mean electronic recoil energy from 0.08 to 0.15 keV. The 90% C.L. exclusion limit on the scattering cross section between the dark matter and electron is calculated based on Poisson statistics. Under the assumption of point interaction, we provide the world's most stringent limit within the dark matter mass range from 15 to 30 $\rm MeV/c^2$, with the corresponding cross section from $2.5\times10^{-37}$ to $3.1\times10^{-38}$ cm$^2$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Determination of responses of liquid xenon to low energy electron and nuclear recoils using the PandaX-II detector

We report a systematic determination of the responses of PandaX-II, a dual phase xenon time projection chamber detector, to low energy recoils. The electron recoil (ER) and nuclear recoil (NR) responses are calibrated, respectively, with injected tritiated methane or $^{220}$Rn source, and with $^{241}$Am-Be neutron source, within an energy range from $1-25$ keV (ER) and $4-80$ keV (NR), under the two drift fields of 400 and 317 V/cm. An empirical model is used to fit the light yield and charge yield for both types of recoils. The best fit models can well describe the calibration data. The systematic uncertainties of the fitted models are obtained via statistical comparison against the data.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

Internal Calibration of the PandaX-II Detector with Radon Gaseous Sources

We have developed a low-energy electron recoil (ER) calibration method with $^{220}$Rn for the PandaX-II detector. $^{220}$Rn, emanated from natural thorium compounds, was fed into the detector through the xenon purification system. From 2017 to 2019, we performed three dedicated calibration campaigns with different radon sources. We studied the detector response to $α$, $β$, and $γ$ particles with focus on low energy ER events. During the runs in 2017 and 2018, the amount of radioactivity of $^{222}$Rn were on the order of 1\% of that of $^{220}$Rn and thorium particulate contamination was negligible, especially in 2018. We also measured the background contribution from $^{214}$Pb for the first time in PandaX-II with the help from a $^{222}$Rn injection. Calibration strategy with $^{220}$Rn and $^{222}$Rn will be implemented in the upcoming PandaX-4T experiment and can be useful for other xenon-based detectors as well.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2021

Results of Dark Matter Search using the Full PandaX-II Exposure

We report the dark matter search results obtained using the full 132 ton$\cdot$day exposure of the PandaX-II experiment, including all data from March 2016 to August 2018. No significant excess of events is identified above the expected background. Upper limits are set on the spin-independent dark matter-nucleon interactions. The lowest 90% confidence level exclusion on the spin-independent cross section is $2.2\times 10^{-46}$ cm$^2$ at a WIMP mass of 30 GeV/$c^2$.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Cable Loop Calibration System for Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory

A cable loop source calibration system is developed for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory, a 20 kton spherical liquid scintillator neutrino experiment. This system is capable of deploying radioactive sources into different positions of the detector in a vertical plane with a few-cm position accuracy. The design and the performance of the prototype are reported in this paper.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

The Cryogenics and Xenon handling system for the PandaX-4T Experiment

PandaX-4T, the new generation of the PandaX detector, is a xenon dual-phase detector with about six tons of liquid xenon as target for dark matter search. A cryogenics and xenon handling system is designed to liquify and purify this large detector. In this paper, the results on the commission of the cryogenics and gas handling system are reported. The maximum cooling power of ~ 580 W at 178 K with three cooperating coldheads has been achieved. The filling rate with an assisted liquid nitrogen cooling can reach ~ 700 kg/day. The average rate of recuperation by liquid nitrogen is around 440 kg/day. The maximum total purification speed of two circulation loops is up to ~ 155 slpm. Each loop is using a large heat exchanger with a measured heat exchange efficiency of ~ 97.5+-0.5%.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

An improved design of the readout base board of the photomultiplier tube for future PandaX dark matter experiments

The PandaX project consists of a series of xenon-based experiments that are used to search for dark matter (DM) particles and to study the fundamental properties of neutrinos. The next DM experiment PandaX-4T will be using 4 ton liquid xenon in the sensitive volume, which is nearly a factor of seven larger than that of the previous experiment PandaX-II. Due to the increasing target mass, the sensitivity of searching for both DM and neutrinoless double-beta decay ($0νββ$) signals in the same detector will be significantly improved. However, the typical energy of interest for $0νββ$ signals is at the MeV scale, which is much higher than that of most popular DM signals. In the baseline readout scheme of the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), the dynamic range is very limited. Signals from the majority of PMTs in the top array of the detector are heavily saturated at MeV energies. This deteriorates the $0νββ$ search sensitivity. In this paper we report a new design of the readout base board of the PMTs for future PandaX DM experiments and present its improved performance on the dynamic range.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2020

Experimental Search for Dark Matter in China

The nature of dark matter is one of the greatest mysteries in modern physics and astronomy. A wide variety of experiments have been carried out worldwide to search for the evidence of particle dark matter. Chinese physicists started experimental search for dark matter about ten years ago, and have produced results with high scientific impact. In this paper, we present an overview of the dark matter program in China, and discuss recent results and future directions.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2019

Design and commissioning of a 600 L Time Projection Chamber with Microbulk Micromegas

We report the design, construction, and initial commissioning results of a large high pressure gaseous Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with Micromegas modules for charge readout. The detector vessel has an inner volume of about 600 L and an active volume of 270 L. At 10 bar operating pressure, the active volume contains about 20 kg of xenon gas and can image charged particle tracks. Drift electrons are collected by the charge readout plane, which accommodates a tessellation of seven Micromegas modules. Each of the Micromegas covers a square of 20 cm by 20 cm. A new type of Microbulk Micromegas is chosen for this application due to its good gain uniformity and low radioactive contamination. Initial commissioning results with 1 Micromegas module running with 1 bar argon and isobutane gas mixture and 5 bar xenon and trimethylamine (TMA) gas mixture are reported. We also recorded extended background tracks from cosmic ray events and highlighted the unique tracking feature of this gaseous TPC.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

An Improved Evaluation of the Neutron Background in the PandaX-II Experiment

In dark matter direct detection experiments, neutron is a serious source of background, which can mimic the dark matter-nucleus scattering signals. In this paper, we present an improved evaluation of the neutron background in the PandaX-II dark matter experiment by a novel approach. Instead of fully relying on the Monte Carlo simulation, the overall neutron background is determined from the neutron-induced high energy signals in the data. In addition, the probability of producing a dark-matter-like background per neutron is evaluated with a complete Monte Carlo generator, where the correlated emission of neutron(s) and $γ$(s) in the ($α$, n) reactions and spontaneous fissions is taken into consideration. With this method, the neutron backgrounds in the Run 9 (26-ton-day) and Run 10 (28-ton-day) data sets of PandaX-II are estimated to be 0.66$\pm$0.24 and 0.47$\pm$0.25 events, respectively.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2019

Searching for Neutrino-less Double Beta Decay of $^{136}$Xe with PandaX-II Liquid Xenon Detector

We report the Neutrino-less Double Beta Decay (NLDBD) search results from PandaX-II dual-phase liquid xenon time projection chamber. The total live time used in this analysis is 403.1 days from June 2016 to August 2018. With NLDBD-optimized event selection criteria, we obtain a fiducial mass of 219 kg of natural xenon. The accumulated xenon exposure is 242 kg$\cdot$yr, or equivalently 22.2 kg$\cdot$yr of $^{136}$Xe exposure. At the region around $^{136}$Xe decay Q-value of 2458 keV, the energy resolution of PandaX-II is 4.2%. We find no evidence of NLDBD in PandaX-II and establish a lower limit for decay half-life of 2.4 $ \times 10^{23} $ yr at the 90% confidence level, which corresponds to an effective Majorana neutrino mass $m_{ββ} < (1.3 - 3.5)$ eV. This is the first NLDBD result reported from a dual-phase xenon experiment.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2019

Design of Guide Tube Calibration System for JUNO Experiment

Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is designed to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy using a 20 kton liquid scintillator detector. To calibrate detector boundary effect, the Guide Tube Calibration System (GTCS) has been designed to deploy a radioactive source along a given longitude on the outer surface of the detector. In this paper, we studied the physics case of this system via simulation, which leads to a mechanical design.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2019

PandaX-II Constraints on Spin-Dependent WIMP-Nucleon Effective Interactions

We present PandaX-II constraints on candidate WIMP-nucleon effective interactions involving the nucleon or WIMP spin, including, in addition to standard axial spin-dependent (SD) scattering, various couplings among vector and axial currents, magnetic and electric dipole moments, and tensor interactions. The data set corresponding to a total exposure of 54-ton-days is reanalyzed to determine constraints as a function of the WIMP mass and isospin coupling. We obtain WIMP-nucleon cross section bounds of $\rm 1.6 \times 10^{-41} cm^2$ and $\rm 9.0 \times 10^{-42} cm^2$ ($90\%$ c.l.) for neutron-only SD and tensor coupling, respectively, for a mass $M_\mathrm{WIMP} \sim {\rm 40~GeV}/c^2$. The SD limits are the best currently available for $M_\mathrm{WIMP} > {\rm 40~GeV}/c^2$. We show that PandaX-II has reached a sensitivity sufficient to probe a variety of other candidate spin-dependent interactions at the weak scale.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2018

Laser Calibration System in JUNO

A UV laser calibration system is developed for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), a 20-kton liquid scintillator-based, long baseline reactor anti-neutrino experiment. This system is capable of delivering fast laser pulses (<1 ns) into the detector with a photon intensity ranging from hundreds of keV to a few TeV equivalent energy. An independent intensity monitoring system is developed for this laser, which has achieved a < 0.3% relative uncertainty. Such a system will be used to calibrate the response of the JUNO photosensors and electronics in situ to a sub-percent precision.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2018

Constraining Dark Matter Models with a Light Mediator from PandaX-II Experiment

We search for nuclear recoil signals of dark matter models with a light mediator in PandaX-II, a direct detection experiment in China Jinping underground Laboratory. Using data collected in 2016 and 2017 runs, corresponding to a total exposure of 54 ton day, we set upper limits on the zero-momentum dark matter-nucleon cross section. These limits have a strong dependence on the mediator mass when it is comparable to or below the typical momentum transfer. We apply our results to constrain self-interacting dark matter models with a light mediator mixing with standard model particles, and set strong limits on the model parameter space for the dark matter mass ranging from $5~{\rm GeV}$ to $10~{\rm TeV}$.

hep-ph↗